Snap-seal.



No. 696,003. Patented Mar. 25, I902.

E. .1. BROOKS;

SNAP SEAL.

(No Model.)

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EDlVARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEYV JERSEY.

SNAP-SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 696,003, dated March25, 1902. Application filed January 20, 1902. Serial No. 90,579. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Snap-Seals, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to self fastening seals, or snap-seals,as theyare commonly termed, for use as substitutes for lead and wire seals andotherpress-fastened sealing devices, to secure the doors of railwayfreightcars and for other like purposes. Previous forms of suchsnap-seals are set forth in my specification forming part of UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 679,104, dated July 23, 1901, and in myprevious specifications therein recited, and in a last previousspecification, part of my application for patent filed October 16, 1901,Serial N0.-78,819.

The present invention, like that set forth in said last previousspecification, is more particularly an improvement on the snapseal ofsaid Letters Patent No. 679,104.

The leading object of the present invention is to more perfectly guardthe inlet to the hollow seal part, so as to prevent tampering with theinternal snap-catches, and thus to render it impossible to violate theseal with out detection.

Another object is to prevent stretching or spreading the inlet, and thusto facilitate so guarding the same.

Another object is to provide for securing either or both shackle endswithin the seal part byan extra secure snap-catch device, as hereinafterspecified.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent, respectively, asectional edge View and a plan view of the seal-part cap of the improvedseal. Fig. 3 representsalongitudinal section through the improved seal,fas tened. Fig. 4: represents the respective sides of one end of theflexible sheet-metal shackle. Fig. 5 represents the respective sides ofthe other end of the shackle. Figs. 6 and 7 repre-' sent, respectively,a face view of the blank of the middle piece shown in Fig. 3 and an edgeview of the middle piece formed therefrom.

Figs. 8 and 9 represent, respectively, a sectional edge view and a planview of a modified seal-part cap. Figs. 10 and 11 represent,respectively, a sectional edge view and a plan view of another modifiedcap; and Fig. 12 represents a longitudinal section through a modifiedseal part embodying the cap shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and illustratingadditional modifications.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

The improved seal comprises a flexible sheet-metal shackle A, Figs. 3,4, and 5, the ends of which are provided with snap-holes '1 and 2 ortheir equivalent and with inlet-guards of peculiar construction. Theseguards comprise outwardly-projecting corrugations 3 and 4 andinwardlyprojecting guards 5 and 6, the latter arranged, as shown inFigs. 4 and 5, so as not to interfere with each other when the shackleends are successively introduced through the inlet of the seal part.Distinguishing marks 7 and 8 upon the outer side of the shackle areshown in Figs. 4 and 5. Such marks may be of any description and form nopart of the present improvement.

The improved seal further comprises a hollow seal part B, such as isshown as a whole in Fig. 3 or Fig. 12. This seal part is composed, as inmy last previous improvement, of body and cap pieces a and b,constituting its shell, and a U shaped middle piece 0, the lattercarrying the snap catch or catches and constituting therewith thesnap-catch device of the seal.

In the present invention the cap I) is of novel construction. In all itsforms this cap is constructed, in addition to the slot-shaped inlet 9and the downwardly or inwardly projecting rigid vestibule-wall 10,surrounding such inlet, with an upwardly-projecting curb 11, surroundingthe same, and preferably and conveniently with gutters 12 within suchcurb at the sides of the inlet 9 to assist in preventing theintroduction of a thin piece of steel at either side of the shackle endsto liberate them. The corrugations 3 and 4. of the shackle A projectover the gutters 12 and fill the space within the curb 11 at the sidesof the inlet, and thus cooperate therewith to prevent violation. Theintroduction of atampering-tool between the shackle ends is prevented bysaid inwardly-projecting guards 5 and 6 and may in somecases besufficiently guarded against by contracting the'inlet in width to theutmost extent. a v a In the species represented by Figs. 1, 2, and 3 thecap bis of brittle material, such as castiron or glass, to preventstretching or spreading the inlet S) in attempts to violate the seal.Guarding such inlets is thus materially assisted. In that species, Figs'1 to 3, the edges of the cap I) are flat and are embraced, together withthe ends 13 and 14 of the middle piece a, by a seaming-flange15,integral with the sheet-metal body a, to form the circumferentialjoint common to all the species, permanently uniting the pieces of theseal part. The middle piece 0 is bent up from a flat blank, Fig. 6, andcomprises between its ends or feet 13 and 14 a pair ofdownwardly-pointed catches 16 and 17, a hole 18, Fig.6,partlysurrounding said catch 17, through which the point of said catch16 normally projects, and

a hole 19, Fig. 6, in said. catch. 16, through which the point of saidcatch 17 normally projects. A very secure double catch is thus formed.Upon the insertion of either or both shackle ends the catches 16 and 17are by the impact sprung back out of the holes 18 and 19 and in turnspring through the catch-holes l and 2 into normal position, thussecurely fastening the shackle ends against withdrawal and attesting thesame by an audible click or G 77 In the species of the cap 1)represented by Figs. 8 and 9 it is of sheet metal and provided with aseaming-ring 20 to coact with an outwardly-proj ectin g flange 21 on thebody-piece a and with the ends 13 and 14 of the middle piece 0, as inFig. 12. Otherwise it is or may be identical in construction with theform first described.

The modified cap 1) (represented by Figs. 10 and 11) has flat shoulders22 within the curb 11 instead of the gutters 12 and is represented as ofsheet metal. It may be made either of sheet metal or of brittlematerial, as preferred.

The middle piece 0 (shown in Fig. 12) has a single rigid catch 16 tointerlock with both shackle ends, the elasticity of the latter beingrelied on for the fastening operation.

Any preferred snap-catch device adapted to interlock with the ends ofthe sheet-metal shackle may beemployed in connection with the improvedshackle and seal part cap, either or both, and in some cases only oneshackle end may be thus secured, the other end being preliminarilyattached to the seal part at the factory in any known or improvedmanner. If not so attached at the factory, one shackle end is introducedthrough the in let 9 and snapped fast to facilitate carrying the seal.At the place where the seal is to be applied the other shackle end ispassed through a pair of car-door staples C, Fig. 3,

or-the like, and is then inserted and fastened in like manner.

The shape, size, or color of the body-piece a may be utilized as anadditional aid in distinguishing the seals of different roads or users,and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled inthe art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention anddesire to patent under this specification- 1. An improved snap-sealcomposed of a flexible, shackle of sheet metal provided withinlet-guards, a seal-part shell composed of body and cap piecespermanently united with each other by a circumferential joint, suchcap-piece being provided with an inlet and with an upwardly-projectingcurb surround-v ing such inlet, and asnap-catch device within such shellto fasten one shackle end, the other shackle end being preliminarilyattached to the seal part in any approved way.

2. An improved snap-seal composed of a flexible shackle of sheet metalhavingits ends provided with catch -holes and with outwardly-projectinginlet-guards, a seal-part shell composed of body and cap piecespermanently united with each other by a circumferential joint, suchcap-piece being provided with an inlet and with an upwardlyprojectingcurb surrounding such inlet to coact with such inlet-guards, and asnap-catch device within such shell to fasten the shackle ends.

3. An improved snap-seal composed of a flexible shackle of sheet metalhaving its ends provided with outwardly projecting inletguards, aseal-part shell composed of body and cap pieces permanently united witheach other by a circumferential joint, such cappiece being provided withan inlet, gutters at the sides of such inlet and an upwardly-projectingcurb surrounding such inlet and gutters to coact with such inlet-guards,and a snap-catch device within such shell to fasten the shackle ends.

4. An improved snap-seal composed of a flexible shackle of sheet metalhaving its ends provided with inlet-guarding corrugations, a seal -partshell composed of body and cap pieces permanently united with each otherby a circumferential joint, such cap-piece being provided with an inletand an upwardly-projecting curb surrounding such inlet to coact withsuch corrugations, and a snap-catch device within such shell to fastenthe shackle ends.

5. An improved snap-seal composed of a flexible shackle of sheet metalhaving its ends provided with inletguarding corrugations projectingoutwardly and with inwardly-projecting guards arranged to clear eachother when the shackle ends are successively inserted, a seal-part shellcomposed of body and cap pieces permanently united with each other by acircumferential joint, such cappiece being provided with an inlet andwith an upwardly-projecting curb surrounding such inlet to coact withsuch corrugations,and a snap-catch device within such shell to fastenthe shackle ends.

6. An improved snap-seal composed of a flexible shackle of sheet metalhaving its ends provided with inlet-guards, a seal-part shell composedof a sheet-metal body-piece and a composed of bodyand cap piecespermanently united with each other by a circumferential joint, suchcap-piece being provided with an inlet, and a snap-catch device in theform of a U-shaped middle piece provided with inwardly and downwardlyprojecting pointed catches at both sides to interlock with saidcatch-holes,and holes within which the points of the respective catchesare normally masked.

8. An improved snap-seal composed of a hollow seal part comprising bodyor cap pieces permanently united with each other by a circumferentialjoint, such cap-piece being provided with an inlet, and a snap-catchdevice in the form of a U-shaped middle piece'provided with inwardly anddownwardly projecting catches at both sides,.and a flexible shackle ofsheet metal having one end provided with a snap-hole to interlock withsaid catches, the other shackle end being preliminarily attached to theseal part in any approved Way, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

EDWARD J. BROOKS. Witnesses:

ELLEN J. BROOKS, ELINOR BRooKs.

